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itsnotalakeitsanocean's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This and Pet are one of my favourite stories of all time. Definitely read Pet before going into this one, because you are missing a lot of context for some of the characters if you don't
What I liked
What I liked
- We got to see the inner workings of what a freedom fighter support group looks like. I feel like most modern stories about rebellion and stuff focus far too much on the people on the frontlines, or imply that you are either with a rebellion on the frontlines or against it completely which is just not true.
- In a similar vein,
the revolution is presented in a way that suggests there isn't a "one size fits all" clean solution, which is crucial to stories like this. People fighting will get brutalised, people's entire legacies will be destroyed in an instant through death or destruction. Emezi doesn't spare killing off characters or injuring them just because they're on the side of revolution or allied with it. Not only that, they do it with the appropriate amount of gravity that doesn't wallow in angst to the point of narm. - Perhaps a controversial opinion but I liked Bitter's hesitance and guilt over not being able to do anything. I think it's all too easy to expect characters to be willing to jump into the fray, with any doubts or hesitations easily fixed for plot convenience (something that with Black characters runs the risk of portraying stereotypes). Bitter has a lot of trauma to unpack about being shifted from foster home to foster home - each with their own problems that wore her down over the years. Of course she's going to be hesitant to leave the one place she's only just found is safe in her life.
Of course this mindset is challenged and approached from various different perspectives instead of coddling her safety in favour of larger community safety, but I found it refreshing that Bitter's mindset was portrayed and given respect whilst doing so. - Lots of amazing queer relationships and characters that were normalised and given the approriate amount of focus when necessary without slowing down the plot. I also really liked Ube in general - he's a really cool guy who just happens to be a wheelchair user.
What I didn't like
- The only thing I didn't care for was how quickly Aloe and Bitter got together. However, this is a very small, easily overlooked problem because they are one of the healthiest couples I've read in a while (not that I don't like a messy couple from time to time), and unlike a lot of other modern couples, they put in the effort to love each other and you can see why they love each other so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
saphfics's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I think there are books that you can tell are written with a genuine love for humans and the wish that things can change. This is one of them.
Especially in times like these it can be hard to really construct a world that can be better even in our imagination. But in pet and bitter, shows us that that world could be possible but that it will be something that we need to fight for.
I hope we all can see that world some day
PS. I would recommend reading Pet first
Especially in times like these it can be hard to really construct a world that can be better even in our imagination. But in pet and bitter, shows us that that world could be possible but that it will be something that we need to fight for.
I hope we all can see that world some day
PS. I would recommend reading Pet first
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Police brutality, and Outing
thebookworm_queen's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a smart book I love the layers within the story where there is an underlying message to everything on the surface. I think I could read this again and find something new to appreciate
Filled with so many inspirational and comforting lines; I cried! Almost better than PET the first book that introduced us to Lucille, almost 😉
Filled with so many inspirational and comforting lines; I cried! Almost better than PET the first book that introduced us to Lucille, almost 😉
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Police brutality
Minor: Homophobia and Self harm
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After Pet blew me away, I was hoping for more from Bitter. It wasn't bad by any means but they are very different stories. While Pet explores an individual story of failure in an overall good society, this explores how to find your place in a broken society working to get better. I think the use of angels works better in the first, but fill an interesting role here. I do love Bitter herself and seeing how the other characters were as children. I also liked exploring the role of art in revolution and how different people can provide different good works. I liked Miss Virtue but didn't think this aspect was as strong as it could have been. I kind of just want to read Pet again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, and Trafficking
archiveofrasa's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
3.5
this book properly nailed it in that I've almost grown out of YA. it's good for someone young who is into human rights storylines and themes, but literally everything felt a little underdeveloped. maybe it was because so much was going on. this book was too thin for an in-depth look into a revolution; I would've loved this if it was longer and spent time exploring the different topics discussed.
but overall this wasn't bad! I preferred Pet due to its focus into a fewer selection of themes and how much more it explored them
but overall this wasn't bad! I preferred Pet due to its focus into a fewer selection of themes and how much more it explored them
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
eni_iilorak's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment
rachellle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was amazing! This prequel was absolutely necessary for me because it enhances the world in 'Pet'. Definitely rereading 'Pet' and then rereading this book again. The conflicts that Bitter, her friends, and Assata face were written with so much depth. From Bitter's indifference towards the protests, to Bitter's guilt about the angels and not supporting her friend's, to the exhaustion the Assata members face. It's really important that the novel highlighted the structure of organizing and the exhaustion that the work leads to. The conflicts between Bitter and her friends was complex and demonstrated how the world affects interpersonal relationships (Eddie ending their friendship).
The only part I wish the novel spent more time explaining was the resolution of the overarching conflict. Obviously the mega rich guy is killed and the mayor is spared, leading him to abolish the prisons and replace the entire city council. But what conversations led to that? I know not much of a conversation would have went down but I wanna know what was said.
Overall, this book was so good. What really drew me in was the honesty of the relationship dynamics; their interactions are not isolated from the larger world. It was interesting to see how they all did their best to hold each other up and even fail sometimes. And Bitter's character development was layered and amazing to watch unfold.
The only part I wish the novel spent more time explaining was the resolution of the overarching conflict.
Overall, this book was so good. What really drew me in was the honesty of the relationship dynamics; their interactions are not isolated from the larger world. It was interesting to see how they all did their best to hold each other up and even fail sometimes. And Bitter's character development was layered and amazing to watch unfold.
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Bitter is a really powerful YA fantasy, clearly speaking to contemporary issues like police brutality and Black Lives Matter. I loved the way this book highlighted the power of young people and the power of art to effect social change. The point that activists can burnout and need to rest was well made, as was the fact that not everyone is suited to being on the frontline and that is okay. I was particularly captured by Emezi’s take on vengeance and the nuanced way this theme was approached and explored.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism and Homophobia